These engines are 4 stroke, water cooled, 60 degree, V- type with a
6-3/8" bore and 6-1/2" stroke, for a total of 2490 cubic inches of
displacement. Each engine has 48 valves, 2 inlet/2 outlet per cylinder.
They have a compression ratio of 6.4:1, and are fitted with a
gear-driven centrifugal supercharger and intercooler. The engines are
installed with a Holley 1685F aircraft-type carburetor, and use
aircraft- type dual magneto sparks, with 2 spark plugs per cylinder. The
engines develop 1850 Hp at 2500 rpm.Max revolutions is 3000 rpm. Engine
weight is 3100 pounds. These engines were designed to burn 100 octane
aviation gasoline to achieve nominal power output.

Endurance

3000 gallons of 100-octane aviation gasoline (AVGAS) is enough to last
12 hours or 520 miles with engine speed limited to 2000 rpm. This works
out to about 66 gallons of gasolineper hour, per
engine at cruising speed of 35 knots. At maximum rpm, achieving 42+
knots, each engine consumes 166 gallons (or 500 gallons for all 3
engines) per hour. (3000 gallons lasts about 6 hours at top speed!) The
gasoline is held in four 750 gallon self sealing rubber-lined gas tanks.
PT658 had her 2 after gasoline tanks removed, so capacity is cut in half
down to only 1500 gallons of gas.

History of
PT658

PT658 was built at Higgins Industries Boatworks, New Orleans
LA, the keel was laid down 2-24-45, launched on 4-11-45 and completed on
July 30, 1945. The boat was originally slated to be part of Squadron
(RON) 45, which was never placed in commission. It was to consist of 11
Higgins PT's 649-660, and 11 Elco PT's 773-784 and assigned to the
Pacific Fleet. Near the wars end in mid 1945, RON45 was scheduled to be
"Lend-Leased" to the USSR. Several boats in the group (649 to 656) were
already shipped to Russia when the transfer was halted; just before PT
657-660 were to be sent over. The Elco construction contract was also
canceled at this time. PT657-660 had been moved from New Orleans to
Seattle on an LST, where they would be piggybacked onto a transport ship
bound for Russia. When the war ended, (Sept 45) the shipment was stopped
and the boats returned to Port Hueneme, CA. Then all four boats were
Reclassified as "Small Boat" C105342,3,4 and 5 (Crash Rescue Boat) in
August 1946, and were then assigned to the Bureau of Aeronautics as a
"Remote Controlled Target" at Naval Air Facility, Pt Mugu, CA. (ex-PT660
was actually sunk as a target by a "Bullpup" missile off Port Hueneme in
the early 1990’s.) PT658 was reclassified again as "Floating Equipment"
in Dec 3, 1948. Ten years later, on June 30, 1958; PT658 was sold off as
"war surplus" by the US Navy to a private owner. PT658 was acquired from
the estate of one of these private owners (Mr. Orlando Brown in Oakland,
CA) in 1993, (35 years after being sold) who had intended on using her
as a private pleasure craft. Since 1994, PT658 has been in the process
of restoration by Save the PT Boat Inc

Two of the Packards in the PT658 Engine room

A Dream
Realized In mid-September 2004. Under clear skies in 70 degree
weather, the boat cleared the dock at the Swan Island Naval Training
Center at 1300 hours. Bob Hostetter, former PT exec officer, stood at
the helm as she headed out for the Willamette River. He later turned
over the helm to former PT 231 Skipper, Ed Jepsen. Also by the helm was
former PT150 Skipper, Russ Hamacheck. For approximately 45 minutes we
patrolled the river, escorted by Portland Fire Boat 6. Aboard the 658
were Save The PT Boat, Inc. crew members and a few Navy visitors.
Actually, this was the second trial run for the boat. The first occurred
Monday, Aug 30, 2004, for a shorter period of time. Although a few minor
problems emerged on both trips, the shakedown cruises were deemed
successful. A third trip was taken on 23 Oct 2004, during the PT
Boater’s Bull Session, when we took 3 groups of 25 people each on the
river for 30 minute excursions.

In this pamphlet are some interesting facts about the PT658 and of
all WWII PT Boats in general

Goal

The goal of the Save the PT Boat Inc. is to restore the PT658 to her
"as-built" condition which can then be used as a living history display.
As much as possible, the PT658 will be restored with historically
authentic items and configuration that was used in operational PT Boats
during WWII. Some modern day items have been included on a case by case
basis to ensure safety and meet legal requirements for an operating
wooden boat. It is our belief that this boat is the only completely
authentically restored operating US Navy PT Boat in the world

Packard 5M-2500 Engine

The 78 Foot
Higgins PT Higgins 78' boats were
periodically updated and reconfigured for the missions they were call
upon to perform during World War 2. These boats also took on a "gun
boat" configuration, rather then their traditional torpedo role, because
of the nature of wartime tactics in the Pacific. Many PT boats were
given the task of harassing and destroying enemy troop supply barges in
shallow waters at night, since our larger destroyers would run aground
in the shallow coastal waters. The PT boats became "Barge Busters" with
their relentless attacks on the enemy barges used to supply and ferry
the enemy from island to island. They were also called upon to support
troop landings and downed pilot rescues. Higgins boats played a large
role in the Mediterranean, combating enemy shipping; including duels
with German E-boats, S-Boats (Schnellbooten) and heavily armored and
armed barges known as F-lighters.

Length:
78 feet 6 inches Width: 20 feet 1 inch

Draft: 5 feet 3
inches Displacement: 48 tons

Crew Complement: 2 officers, 14 enlisted

Armament:

As a late war
Higgins (PT625 class) the PT658 was, for her size, one of the most
heavily armed vessels in the US Navy

US Navy "SO" Type Radar : This radar was fitted on PT Boats
beginning in 1943 and was later replaced towards the end of the war with
SJ. Both were 3000 MHz with 50kw pulse, surface search radars made by
Raytheon. Approximate range was 25 Nautical Miles. The Navy’s use of
radar gave us a distinct advantage over the enemy throughout the war.